Sunshine lures many folks to this area ? with over 300 days a year and only seven inches of rain, you can expect low humidity and a mild winter, allowing for lots of time outdoors. Despite the dry climate, the desert is home to a diverse range of plants and animals: orange groves, palm trees, cactus-covered red rock mountains, coyotes, road runners and lizards are all typical Arizonian sites. And even though it's known for the desert, the Phoenix Valley also boasts waterfront properties like developments on Tempe Town Lake and the Arizona Canal near downtown Scottsdale. There are also several state parks built around water ? so don't think you have to give up boating just because you're moving to the desert.

It's easy to get started on your home search ? first contact a local realtor to talk about what you're looking for. Meet with your lender to establish what you can afford, and then begin house hunting! Give your realtor the details of what you're looking for along with a list of must haves and your budget so that s/he can put together some possible properties. Then you should plan a visit. Spend a couple of days getting to know the local neighborhoods and when you've decided which areas you love, your realtor can sort through the listings and show you potential homes.

To ease your relocation, try to familiarize yourself with the city ahead of time: subscribe to one of the local papers ? your realtor should be able to recommend resources for your new neighborhood. Make contact with local clubs, groups and faith organizations. Starting to network before you move will help you put down roots faster when you arrive.

You will also want to get started on your family's employment or education prospects prior to the move. Phoenix has an award winning public school system and several local universities and technical colleges. Job growth in the area has been huge. In fact, Phoenix was ranked number one for largest metro markets for employment growth last year. This coupled with the fact that there's a strong buyer's market in the Valley right now, makes it a great time to think about relocating. You have lots of choice and room to negotiate. Interest rates are still low, so this is the time to buy ? don't wait until they've gone up.

And finally, give away your snow shovel and snow boots ? you won't need them where you're going!

Posted by Linda Huber on December 13, 2008 at 12:00 AM

About Linda Huber
Linda Huber is affliated with RE/MAX Real Estate Results, which is located in Bella Vista, AR. For further assistance please use the contact information located on the right.




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